Tis the season

Oh yes it "tis the season, where every commercial is about buy buy buy.  The adds on the radio, are all centered on purchasing for the upcoming holidays.  I'm tired of the commercials, and how we should run out at the crack of dawn to get some special price.  I guess I'm not that interested in a bunch of superfiscial gifts that neither I nor my family and friends need.
I would rather recieve a bunch of tickets for spending the evening with friends and playing cards, or having coffee and chatting.  I spent the day recently with my daughter, we had appointments at the same place, and the she had dance, so i went with her, afterwards, we headed to the mall and dinner.  It was delightful!  No arguing, no worrying, just pure enjoyment.  How i love those days.

 When she was about three she liked to go the mall,  not just any mall but the mall with the brown floor. Ha this was really a brick tiled floor at what was one of the higher end malls around our area.  We had a little routine, shop a bit, have lunch, go play in the play land, we could shop a bit more- usually included her trying on about 20 dresses- she loved dresses and hats.  Then we would head home.  We did alot of things just the two of us.  We  would go to the British Pantry and have tea and scones, or would go to the zoo for the afternoon, or out for a walk, but being that its often rainy here, we did hit the mall frequently if friends weren't available for some other playtime. 

As she is getting ready for college and applying to many distant areas, I truly relish these moments for i know she won't be shopping with me a whole lot come next year.  We have gone out for tea this year, which its the ritual we both love  I think as well as the time shared.  It's all about making the tea, and chatting.  I've already bought the few gifts we have for her.  With a large selection of college auditions she needs to attend the individual gifts will be few in trade for travel. 
I love that my daughter has a sense of reality and knows that we will always try to provide for her any and all that she needs.  I will always have something special for her regardless of what we may tell her.  that's just the way it is.